Are some behaviors holding you back?

If your career is stalling, or you want to put yourself in the best position possible to receive a raise or promotion, it’s time to look hard at yourself and your behavior. You may un­­knowingly be sabotaging yourself, says Stephanie Vozza, Fast Com­­­­pany’s time and productivity expert.

She interviewed some career ex­­perts and got examples of common employee behaviors that may be holding you back. They include:

• Complaining. If you’re critical of every policy and decision your company makes, especially without offering suggestions for improvement, it will reflect badly on you says Neal Hartman, a professor at MIT.

• Panicking. If you say you’re overworked and stressed every time your boss presents a new challenge you could get passed over for a promotion.

• Stepping on people’s toes. If you want to show your broad capabilities by stepping outside your job description, make sure you do so with your manager’s approval and without sacrificing your assigned work. Otherwise, says Hartman, your manager may feel threatened.

• Sucking up. No one likes people who do this. Incessant flattery of your boss will make you seem insincere and annoying.

• Hiding in plain sight. If you naively believe that promotions and raises are based solely on work produced without considering interpersonal relationships, you’ll be passed over says Jeremy Cohen, general manager of The Talent Studios. “You will be beat out by other workers who meet with their manager early and often, express their one-, three-, and five-year goals, and proactively set the choreography and path for the responsibilities they want,” Cohen says.

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